Murder in House Read Free Page A

as she often did nowadays when she came upon Rose asleep. So frail, so tiny.
    Ellie touched Rose’s shoulder and the faded blue eyes opened. ‘The potatoes were quite nice, dear, but I must let you have my recipe for them sometime. Miss Quicke always says I make the tastiest of roast potatoes.’
    â€˜Yes, dear. Shall I help you up to your bedroom for your afternoon nap?’
    â€˜No, no. Quite happy where I am. But perhaps a cup of tea when you’re making one? In a cup, not a mug. Don’t bother just for me, though.’
    Ellie led Ursula back to the kitchen. ‘That’s the first time Rose hasn’t gone upstairs for her afternoon nap. I think perhaps we ought to make up a bed for her downstairs. And don’t say she ought to be in a home. She looked after my aunt beautifully, and made her last years very happy. Now it’s our turn to look after her till she picks up again.’ Back in the kitchen, she put the kettle on. ‘So, what’s all this about a murder?’
    Ursula tossed back her hair. ‘It wasn’t murder. Of course not. He fell, that’s all.’
    â€˜I’ll take some tea in to Thomas and Rose, then we can sit down comfortably and you can tell me all about it.’ Ellie was rather afraid the girl would take herself off as soon as Ellie left the room but no, she had seated herself at the kitchen table when Ellie returned.
    â€˜Who was it who died?’ said Ellie, putting sugar and milk into her coffee. ‘Not a boyfriend, you said?’ At first she thought the girl was going to maintain her silence, but a noisy burst of sleet hit the window, making both women look up. Perhaps this reminder of the horrible weather made up the girl’s mind.
    â€˜Not a boyfriend, no. One of the crowd. A party in the new year. He had too much to drink, got into a quarrel, took a swing at someone, toppled over a balcony and that was that.’
    â€˜You used the word “murder”.’
    Silence. Long eyelashes were lowered, eyelashes the same colour as her hair, both true honey blonde. ‘I was stupid, thinking I’d get some sort of message from God if I stayed on alone in the church. I suppose if the usual vicar had been there, he might have had something nice to say about my friend and that would have made me feel better. If you hadn’t interfered . . . well, it’s done now, and I’ll be off.’
    She shook back her hair, making up her mind to some new course of action. ‘Of course it wasn’t murder. The police said it wasn’t and they should know, shouldn’t they?’
    â€˜You disagree?’
    Ursula treated Ellie to a look in which calculation overlaid doubt. ‘Your husband said you were good at solving mysteries. How about investigating a disappearance, a broken engagement and an accidental death which was really a murder? All in one neat little package.’
    Ellie felt like slapping the girl. Her manner was almost – but not quite – insolent. ‘Accidental death: the non-boyfriend? A broken engagement: you’re not wearing a ring. A disappearance: the boyfriend to whom you were engaged?’
    Ursula pulled a thin gold chain out from under her sweater. She undid the clasp and slid a gold ring from it on to the table. It wasn’t a modern ring by any means. Perhaps Edwardian? A lovers’ knot was the only decoration, and there was no jewel on it. ‘Perhaps you’d like to return it to him for me.’
    Ellie blinked. ‘What . . .? Who . . .? No, I — ’
    â€˜Daniel Collins. Park Gardens. He’ll understand. No message.’
    Ellie stared at the ring. She picked it up. It was warm from contact with the girl’s skin. The front doorbell rang, and someone used keys on both locks to let themself in. Ellie’s attention switched from the ring and she rose from her seat. ‘What . . .?’ Only Thomas, Ellie